Wild Horse or Frightened Horse Leaving the Water

Delacroix frequently depicted wild horses, often as the unwilling prey of larger animals. The British artist George Stubbs (1724–1806) was a likely inspiration for these works, as his printed portraits of horses in dark settings and bleak situations were well known in France. Delacroix’s sizable, atmospheric lithograph leaves much to the viewer’s imagination. We cannot see the reason for the horse’s fright, but feel its powerful urge to escape. This chilling image touches on all the hallmarks of the Romantic movement and reflects Delacroix’s preoccupation with images of suffering, insanity, violence, and imminent death.